Shohei Ohtani set the tone for the Dodgers’ season before the first pitch was even thrown.
Every player in the Los Angeles clubhouse found a gift bag in their locker on Thursday, courtesy of Ohtani. Inside was a Seiko watch and a handwritten note that read, “Let’s three-peat.”
“That talks a lot about what kind of human he is, not just on the field but off the field,” second baseman Miguel Rojas said. “We’re going to keep that watch forever, and we’re going to remember the best player in the world gave us a watch for Opening Day in 2026.”
Manager Dave Roberts said Ohtani has made a habit of this since arriving in Los Angeles.
“He is just very generous. He’s very thoughtful,” Roberts said. “This is the third year he’s been with us, and he’s gotten a gift for us every Opening Day.”
The gesture came on a day already filled with celebration. The Dodgers raised their championship banner before an 8-2 win over the Diamondbacks and will receive their World Series rings Friday night. Last year, Los Angeles became the first team in 25 years to successfully defend a World Series title. This season, they have a chance to become only the third franchise in major league history and the first in National League history to win three straight championships.
General manager Brandon Gomes said the team is approaching the new year with the same mindset it carried into last season.
“Last year has nothing to do with this year, just like it had nothing to do with the year before,” Gomes said. “It’s having the belief in each other that no matter who we play, we feel like we’re going to come out on top.”
World Series MVP Yoshinobu Yamamoto started on Opening Day as a nod to his Game 7 heroics last November. Rojas, who hit the game-tying home run in that finale, also got the start. Retired legend Clayton Kershaw was in the building as well, attending in a suit and tie in his new role as an NBC analyst.
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